Guilt is a feeling that we have done something wrong. It could be that we did something we believe we shouldn’t have, such as lying to our partner, or lashing out at someone. Conversely, it could be that we feel bad for not doing something that we believe we should have, such as not beingContinue reading “How Do I Work with Guilt?”
Author Archives: hangruan108
What Happens If I Don’t Let Go?
Long time ago, according to the legend, people used to catch monkeys by using a “monkey trap.” This monkey trap is created by putting a banana inside a very heavy jar with a narrow opening that is just large enough for the monkey to slip its hand in. Once the monkey puts its hand inContinue reading “What Happens If I Don’t Let Go?”
How Do I Cultivate Gratitude?
Research shows that mindfulness practice is linked to increased gratitude and life satisfaction (Cheung & Lau, 2021; Ivtzan et al., 2016; Strohmaier & Cane, 2021). But how does it work? How do we cultivate gratitude as we are sitting here breathing in and breathing out? When we practice mindfulness, when we practice nonjudgmental awareness ofContinue reading “How Do I Cultivate Gratitude?”
How Do I Practice with Restlessness?
On some days when we sit down to meditate, we feel anything but mindful or still. Indeed, there are days when we feel quite restless. Sometimes the restlessness may have a emotional or psychological flavor, but sometimes it can also have a physical component, where we literally have difficulty keeping our body still. Perhaps whenContinue reading “How Do I Practice with Restlessness?”
Can I Focus on Something Other Than My Breath?
Mindfulness meditation instructions often include invitations to focus one’s attention on the breath, using breath as the anchor of the practice. But what if the breath just doesn’t work for you as a focal point? Some people can’t really feel their breath, so it can be difficult to focus their attention on something they can’tContinue reading “Can I Focus on Something Other Than My Breath?”
How Do I Work with Someone I Don’t Like?
We have all likes and dislikes. There are certain kinds of food that we like, and certain kinds of food that we dislike. That’s usually not too much of a problem, because we can typically avoid the food we dislike. But what about people? There are certain kinds of people that we like, and certainContinue reading “How Do I Work with Someone I Don’t Like?”
How Can Mindfulness Help with Stress?
Stress is an inevitable part of life, maybe even an inevitable part of daily life. Can you think of a day in your life that you did not feel any stress at all? Not one single moment where you tensed up just a tiny bit, or felt slightly upset? I certainly can’t. If stress isContinue reading “How Can Mindfulness Help with Stress?”
How Do I Work With Uncertainty?
What is the feeling of uncertainty? We all have experienced uncertainty and grappled with the uncomfortable feeling of not knowing. Not knowing the answer. Not knowing how things will unfold. There is a lot of uncertainty in the state of the world right now, and in our personal lives there may be some uncertainties asContinue reading “How Do I Work With Uncertainty?”
What Are You Carrying?
When we come to meditation, we might be carrying a lot of things with us. There are lots of things swirling around in our mind: A concern we are worrying about, what someone said to us, an upcoming vacation, the list goes on and on. Mindfulness meditation is an opportunity to “put it all down.”Continue reading “What Are You Carrying?”
How Do I Connect with the Breath?
All day long, we’re busy going about our day. But no matter what we’re doing, what’s happening around us, how we’re feeling inside, the breath is always there, in the background. In our mindfulness practice, we’ve come to have more awareness of and appreciation for the breath. Many of us have noticed that, when weContinue reading “How Do I Connect with the Breath?”
Mindfulness FAQ 